The satirical artworks were seized as part of raid on St Petersburg gallery

A painting portraying Russian president Vladimir Putin wearing tight-fitting women's underwear and brushing the hair of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has been seized by Russian police.

The satirical artwork was removed from the 'Museum of Power' gallery in St Petersburg as it has broken unspecified laws.

Also removed from the gallery - which is housed in two rooms of a flat in the city – was a picture depicting the head of the Russian Orthodox Church with his torso covered in tattoos, and two artworks mocking anti-gay lawmakers Vitaly Milonov and Yelena Mizulina.

St Petersburg deputy mayor Vitaly Mironov, who features in a further painting where his face is merged with the rainbow flag of the gay rights movement, said that the pictures were inappropriate and “of a distinctly pornographic character".

Gallery owner Alexander Donskoy said as well as seizing paintings, the police also shut down his gallery and offered no explanation for their acts.

"This is an (illegal) seizure," he told Reuters. "We have been given no formal documents banning us from operating and no receipt confirming our petty cash was seized.”

St Petersburg, which hosts world leaders at a G20 summit next week, was one of the first Russian cities to introduce a law banning the spread of "gay propaganda".

The Russian parliament has adopted similar legislation, prompting protests and calls for a boycott of the 2014 Winter Olympics which Russia will host in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.